Michael Rapaport
Known for: Acting
Michael Rapaport is an American actor, comedian, and podcast host who has built a prolific, decades-long career playing memorable characters across film, television, and comedy. Emerging in the early 1990s as a distinct character actor known for his gritty New York persona, fast-talking delivery, and comedic timing, he made his feature film debut in Zebrahead (1992) before landing his breakout dramatic role as a naive marine in Tony Scott's crime classic True Romance (1993). He quickly established himself as a versatile fixture of '90s cinema, delivering standout performances in critically acclaimed films such as Poetic Justice (1993), John Singleton's Higher Learning (1995), Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995), the crime drama Cop Land (1997), and the comedy Deep Blue Sea (1999). In television, Rapaport has maintained an equally robust presence, starring as Phoebe Buffay's police officer boyfriend Gary in NBC’s Friends, playing the lead role of a suburban father in the Fox sitcom The War at Home, and taking on major dramatic arcs in critically acclaimed series like Boston Public, Justified, Atypical, and Only Murders in the Building. Beyond scripted acting and voice work—including his prominent voice role as Ogre in the animated series The PJs—he has achieved widespread recognition as a sports and political commentator, documentary filmmaker (directing the acclaimed Beats, Rhymes & Travels: A Tribe Called Quest Documentary), and host of several popular podcasts, cementing his status as a ubiquitous and outspoken fixture in modern American entertainment.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Richie Caskey
1999
Series
The Simpsons
Mike Wegman (voice)
1989
Series
Friends
Gary
1994
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1993
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Series
Prison Break
Donald Self
2005
Series
ER
Paul Canterna
1994
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Series
Hot Ones
Self
2015
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Series
The Big Bang Theory
Kenny Fitzgerald
2007
Series
black-ish
Jay Simmons
2014
Series
My Name Is Earl
Frank Stump
2005
Series
Justified
Daryl Crowe Jr.
2010
Series
The Masked Singer
Self
2019
Series
Only Murders in the Building
Detective Kreps
2021
Series
Fallout
Knight Titus
2024
Series
Steve
Self
2017
Series
Boston Public
Danny Hanson
2000
The Tony Danza Show
Self
2004
Series
The Wendy Williams Show
Self
2008
Series
The Wendy Williams Show
Self - Guest Host
2008
Series
Raising Hope
Michael
2010
Series
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Mike
1990
Series
Eretz Nehederet
Dumbledore
2003
Series
Eretz Nehederet
Oscar Host
2003
Series
The $100,000 Pyramid
Self
2016
Series
Pound Puppies
Squirt (voice)
2010
Series
Lights Out with David Spade
Self - Panelist
2019
Series
The Traitors
Self - Contestant
2023
Series
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Self
2009
Series
China Beach
1988
Series
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
Self - Contestant
2021
Series
Atypical
Doug Gardner
2017
Series
The War at Home
Dave Gold
2005
Series
Rude Awakening
Johnny
1998
Film
True Romance
Dick Ritchie
1993
Series
Carol & the End of the World
(voice)
2023
Film
Sully
Bartender - Pete
2016
Series
The Guest Book
Adam
2017
Film
Hitch
Ben
2005
Film
The Heat
Jason Mullins
2013
Series
Too Late with Adam Carolla
Self
2005
Series
Talkshow with Spike Feresten
2006
Film
Deep Blue Sea
Tom Scoggins
1999
Series
Night Visions
Harlow Winton (segment "Darkness")
2001
Film
Men of Honor
GM1 Snowhill
2000
Film
The Basketball Diaries
Skinhead
1995
Series
Accidentally on Purpose
Sully
2009
Film
Beautiful Girls
Paul Kirkwood
1996
Film
Cop Land
Murray "Superboy" Babitch
1997
Film
The 6th Day
Hank Morgan
2000
Series
White Famous
Teddy Snow
2017
Series
Life & Beth
Leonard
2022
Film
Dr. Dolittle 2
Joey the Raccoon (Voice)
2001
Series
Crisis in Six Scenes
Trooper
2016
Series
The Miley and Mandy Show
2008
Series
Public Morals
Charlie Bullman
2015
Series
The New Edition Story
Gary Evans
2017
Series
The Mob Doctor
Paul Moretti
2012
Film
Next Friday
Mailman with Tax Notice (uncredited)
2000
Film
Point of No Return
Big Stan
1993
Series
MADtv
Abraham Lincoln
1995
Film
Poetic Justice
Dockworker
1993
Film
Metro
Kevin McCall
1997
Film
Higher Learning
Remy
1995
Film
Kiss of Death
Ronnie Gannon
1995
Film
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
Animation Voice (voice)
2016
Film
Mighty Aphrodite
Kevin
1995
Film
Matchmaking 3
2026
Film
The Baytown Outlaws
Lucky
2012
Film
Chuck
John Wepner
2017
Film
Little Boy
James Busbee
2015
Film
Assassination of a High School President
Coach Z
2008
Film
Small Time Crooks
Denny
2000
Series
Dinner for Five
2001
Film
Bamboozled
Thomas Dunwitty
2000
Film
Triggermen
Tommy O'Brian
2002
Film
Palmetto
Donnelly
1998
Film
Live Free or Die
Putney
2006
Film
Hand Gun
Lenny
1994
Film
A Brother's Kiss
Stingy
1997
Film
Some Girl
Neal
1998
Film
The Scout
Tommy Lacy
1994
Film
Kiss of the Damned
Ben Rider
2012
Film
Money for Nothing
Kenny Kozlowski
1993
Film
Lucky Numbers
Dale
2000
Film
I'll Be Right There
Marshall
2024
Fugly
Jack
2007
Film
A Stand Up Guy
Colin
2016
Film
Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate
Self
2019
Film
This Girl's Life
Terry
2004
Film
Special
Les Franken
2006
Film
Subway Stories
Jake (segment "The Listeners")
1997
The Line
Film
29 Palms
The Cop
2002
Film
King of the Jungle
Francis
2000
Film
Chain of Fools
Hitman
2001
Film
kid 90
Self
2021
Film
The Pallbearer
Brad Schorr
1996
Film
Big Fan
Philadelphia Phil
2009
Film
Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Self
2011
Film
A Good Night to Die
August
2003
Film
Kicked in the Head
Stretch
1997
Film
Glisten and the Merry Mission
Grizz (voice)
2023
Film
The Naked Man
Edward Bliss Jr.
1998
Film
Comic Book Villains
Norman Link
2002
Film
100%: Julian Edelman
Self
2019
Film
The After Party
Self (Uncredited)
2018
Film
My Man Is a Loser
Marty
2014
Film
A Day in the Life
Detective Grant
2009
Film
Paper Soldiers
Mike E.
2002
Film
Inside Out
Jack Small
2011
Film
Grilled
Bobby
2006
Film
The Foot Shooting Party
Lizard
1994
Film
October 8
Self
2025
Film
Don't F**k with Ghosts
Self
2024
Film
Illtown
Dante
1996
Film
Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness
DJ (voice)
2006
Film
It Ain't Easy
2006
Film
Zebrahead
Zack
1992
Film
Last Shot
Film
Rescuers: Stories of Courage - Two Families
Szarany
1998
Film
Last I Heard
Bobby DiBianco
2013
Film
Cop Land: The Making of an Urban Western
Himself
2004
Film
Kiss Toledo Goodbye
Kevin Gower
1999
Film
NB80s
Self
2011
Film
Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story
Bill Fitch
2020
Film
The Choice Is Yours
Self
2023
Film
Should've Been Romeo
Danny
2012
Film
The Follow-Up
Self (archive footage)
2020
Film
The Making of 'Bamboozled'
Self
2001
Film
America Brown
Daniel Brown
2005
Film
The Deported
Himself
2010
Film
Conflicted
Mike
2021
Film
Stealing Jokes
Louie
2024
Series
EP Daily
1997
Film
NB90s
2013
Film
Push
Tommy G
2006
Film
The Trophy King
Greg Geary
Living the Fantasy
Narrator
2015
Film
Five Golden Rings
2020